Love and Brimstone

Chapter Twenty-Four

“What now?” she asked him. The others remained in the parking lot while Matthias and Taz walked across the bridge over the Firehole River as the cool morning breeze competed with warm mist blowing off the basin.

They were in Midway Geyser Basin, heading toward Grand Prismatic Spring. Taz was a little unnerved to read in the guidebook how easily someone could fall into the hot water and die because of the temperature. According to the guidebook, people and animals had jumped in to swim and literally been boiled to death.

Most of the boardwalks had no guardrails.

“We have a meeting tomorrow,” he said.

“Scientists?”

He shook his head. “Guests. People you need to meet.”

She didn’t want to guess.

“I wish I could give you more time to practice, but we don’t have it.” They sat at the far western side of the basin on a short boardwalk extension that kept them out of the main traffic. They pretended they were looking out over the large spring. Most people took pictures and moved on, affording them relative privacy.

“What are we doing here?” she asked him.

“I want you to focus on blocking me from your mind.”

“Why?”

“No one you will meet tomorrow is stronger than me. None of them are older.”

“You don’t trust them?”

“I didn’t say that. I don’t want anyone knowing our business. It’s best you learn to block them without exhausting yourself.”

“You think they’ll try to read my thoughts?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps. Eventually you’ll be able to selectively block others. Allow only those you want to have access. For example, I can block others and still allow you in.”

“How do I do it?”

“You had the right idea the other day, of creating a bubble. I want you to fine-tune it so you don’t wear yourself out. I can read you without effort because of our relationship. Otherwise I would have to probe—” He stopped as she giggled. He playfully patted her leg. “Yes, I get the pun.”

“Sorry.”

“As I was saying, I would have to actively probe your mind. If you pay attention, you can feel someone trying to do that to you.”

“So I can’t broadcast my thoughts to them like I can you?”

“Not yet, at least. It would take great effort you can’t afford to expend right now. Think of these skills as mental muscles you have to develop to effectively use without wearing yourself out.”

“Hit me.”

He closed his eyes. A wall went up in his mind, shutting her out. She felt a pang as she realized the connection was gone. She missed it.

I took it for granted.

“Don’t close your eyes,” he said. “Just look around. You need to be able to feel this during distractions.”

Taz did as he said, and then she felt it. A slight tugging at the edge of her conscious. It was like small finger probing, looking for entry.

“Do you feel it?”

“Yes.” It was odd not having him naturally inside her head now that she was used to it.

He stopped, and she felt him withdraw. He opened his eyes.

“Were you in?”

He shook his head. “I wasn’t trying to get in.”

Something with the power akin to a fist slammed into her mind. He reached out to steady her. Now she knew why they were sitting. If she’d been standing, she would have fallen off the boardwalk.

She looked at him, shocked. “Ow! What the hell was that?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you ready for it. I wanted you to feel a subtle attempt first.”

“That was about as subtle as a fucking atomic bomb.”

He nodded. “And you might feel that from someone. I want you ready for anything.”

She rubbed her forehead even though it didn’t hurt anymore. “How can you prepare for something like that?”

“You have to.” He let her go, closed his eyes again, and she felt a strong probe. She envisioned her bubble, built of concrete and rebar.

He smiled. “Talk about subtle.”

“What the hell do you want me to do?”

“You watched TV growing up.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Ever see Get Smart?”

“What? You’re kidding?”

He shook his head. “Try it. Well, obviously, one that would work.” She loved his playful smile. Even though she knew this was serious business, his smile lit her heart and melted her inside.

She envisioned a clear Cone of Silence surrounding her and felt his probe slide off. It was easier than the other image she’d used, and she realized it didn’t drain her nearly as much. “Hey, that’s not bad—ow!” He mentally hit her again, but this time she was startled more than rocked physically.

“Feel the difference?” he asked.

She nodded.

“At the meeting, you’ll need to find a balance between the Berlin Wall and a paper bag. Something that won’t distract you, that you can maintain without exhausting yourself. You also need to learn to strengthen it if you feel someone trying to snoop where they don’t belong.”

He looked toward the parking lot. She followed his gaze. A lone man made his way across the bridge, long strides quickly carrying him along the boardwalk. She instinctively knew he was coming to them.

“Now’s your chance to practice,” he said.

“Rafael?”

He nodded. “I wanted him here early. I trust him completely. We’ll need him as backup.”

The man rounded the Excelsior Geyser basin when she felt it. Different than Matthias, it was like someone picking her mind up in their hands, gently twisting it like a Rubik’s Cube, and trying to find entrance.

Someone who felt very familiar.

She was glad she was still sitting. She nervously reached out a hand for Matthias.

“It’s okay,” he encouraged. “You need to do this. He won’t hurt you, but he will test you. He’s very powerful, stronger in some ways than I am.”

Taz felt the intruding probe working around the perimeter of her mind. Fear overtook her. She eyed the quickly approaching stranger. Luckily, he was near a wide section of boardwalk. She slammed down the concrete wall, and even though Rafael was still halfway across the basin complex, he stumbled and fell to the boardwalk.

Matthias laughed. “Good work, sweetheart.”

The man got to his knees and looked at them, shaking his head. He approached and Matthias stood, smiling.

Rafael had his cousin’s intense blue eyes, but he was a little shorter, had a slighter build. The men shook hands before hugging. There was something so…familiar about him. Like she’d seen him somewhere before, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

She noticed the ring on his right hand, a fairly plain gold setting with a large, yellowish stone. He rubbed it with his thumb, twisting it on his finger. An ingrained stress tic, she thought.

“Matts, you should have warned me, big guy.”

“I didn’t know she could do that, Rafe.” She started to stand, and Matthias motioned to her to stay seated. “I don’t want you to trip.”

“Yeah, like I did,” Rafael quipped. He had short, dark, wavy hair and a roguish smile she imagined charmed many women to bed. He was handsome, but not in the same way as Matthias. He had a cloak of charm, a sense of playful, friendly ease about him that willingly drew people in and made him attractive without trying. “Rafael Collins.” He extended his hand, and she took it.

“Taz.” She looked at his face, studied him, trying to figure out what it was about him. Why did she feel okay with him calling her that right off the bat? There was something else teasing the edge of her conscious, so close, but when he let go of her hand it slipped from her mind.

She felt safe lowering her defenses. “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to make you trip.”

Rafael smiled. “It’s okay, I understand. That was good. I enjoy falling for beautiful women.” He winked.

She felt a sudden probe, and he rocked back on his heels as she blocked it.

“Damn it!” Rafael’s swear was a mixture of pain, surprise, and admiration.

Matthias watched them. “Obviously, I didn’t use the full force of my mind on you, Taz. I wanted to see how you reacted to Rafe.” To his cousin he said, “I’m trying to help her find a fine balance.”

Rafael rubbed his forehead. “So I gathered.” He looked at her with newfound respect. “You have no idea how powerful you are.” She avoided his eyes, not wanting to try her luck. She knew she couldn’t refuse Matthias, no matter how strong he said she was. But she didn’t want to risk getting pulled in by his charismatic cousin, especially considering the odd feelings she had about him.

She sent a probe of her own to Rafael, imagined it as a gentle hand, squeezing, manipulating. She didn’t want to let go. He welcomed her in, she realized, dropping his barrier so she could easily slip inside his thoughts. And before she could really look inside Rafael’s mind, Matthias’ lips were on hers, passionately kissing her, breaking her train of thought.

When Matthias released her, she gasped, trying to get her breath back. “Darling, you need to wait before you try to do that, please,” Matthias said.

“Why did you kiss me?” Not that she was complaining.

“Because I knew it would distract you.”

Damn it. It did.

Rafael looked at her with shock and awe and something else, obviously not accustomed to meeting someone of her strength.

“You’re worried about her?” he asked Matthias. “Seriously? Why not just have her probe everyone at the meeting and see what’s up?”

“Because that would be rude.”

“Screw rude. She’s—”

“Powerful. Yes, I know. She’s also not used to using her powers, and we have no idea what she’s capable of.”

“And she’s sitting right here, you jerks,” Taz said from the boardwalk. “And she doesn’t like it when people talk about her like she’s not here!”

Matthias helped her to her feet. “Okay, we need a break. All of us. I want Tim and Albert to help us for the next phase.” They returned to the parking lot and rendezvoused at the cabins. With Larry, Moe, and Curly keeping watch outside, the five of them crammed inside Matthias’ room.

Matthias quickly updated Albert and Tim. Robertson didn’t seem surprised, but Albert looked stunned. “This is amazing!”

Matthias nodded. “I know.”

“Are you sure it’s a good idea to bring her to the meeting?” Albert asked.

“I have to. I don’t think there is a traitor in this group. If there is, the last place I want her is out of my sight. At least there will be enough allies at the meeting for us to protect her.”

“I thought you said you trusted these people?” she asked.

“I do. But there is such a thing as foolish risk.” Then Matthias’ mental wall appeared again, and she looked at him. Could she force him to lower it if she wanted to?

Reading her thoughts, he smiled. “You probably could, but please don’t try.”

Shit.

The men looked at each other, and she tried to stifle her left-out feeling. Matthias was obviously instructing them. They might not be as strong as he was, but he could certainly broadcast to them from this close. Especially considering how well he knew them.

Their attention shifted back to Taz. She sat cross-legged on the single bed, and Matthias smiled. “I want you to feel and identify the probes. Use whatever images you need to do this.”

“Go easy on us, sweetheart,” Tim warned. “We won’t hurt you, but you could hurt us if you’re not careful.”

Taz nodded, her palms sweaty. Could she do this?

She felt the first one and gently pushed it away, afraid she might hurt whoever it was.

“Who was that?” Matthias asked her.

Damn. “Uh, I didn’t look.”

“You need to identify the source besides repelling the probe. Try again.”

“Who was it?”

“They’ll try again.” Obviously he knew. He might not be as powerful as she was, but he had a lot more experience and control.

She felt it again, tried a few images, and settled on a small trout net. She scooped up the probe in her mind and looked at it. “Robertson.” Tipped it out and released it. Then imagined a tennis racket and swatted it back to him.

When his eyes popped open, Taz smiled in smug satisfaction.

“Damn!” he swore. She laughed. She didn’t think it was possible to make him swear.

“Good,” Matthias said. “Again.”

She snared the next one. Rafael. His felt different. Stronger, but like he was holding back. Before she returned it she felt a gentle, teasing caress from him and tried to ignore the warmth spreading between her legs.

It felt too good, too familiar.

The next was Matthias. She seductively toyed with him for a moment, noticing his smile. He cleared his throat. “Good.”

Albert was next. The probes were coming faster, with less time for her to respond to each.

She felt rocked from the side and saw Robertson’s smug smirk. “You weren’t paying attention, dear,” he chastised.

She viciously lobbed it back. But before she could complain they were everywhere, all over. She started to slam down her defenses when Matthias interrupted her.

“No. You must learn to repel them, not just block them.”

She closed her eyes and concentrated. When they stopped a few minutes later, she was sweating, trembling, and curled up on the bed in a fetal position.

Matthias looked at the others, and they wordlessly exited while he took her into his arms.

“I can’t do this.”

“You can,” he gently said. “And you will.” He brushed the hair from her eyes and held her as he waited for her tremors to stop. “You are more powerful than all of us put together. You can do anything you put your mind to.”

“I can’t do this. Just leave me here and go to the meeting.”

“You have to come with me.”

“Why?”

“Because they are going to try to help us solve this. They have to see for themselves how strong you are.”

She sat up and looked into his eyes. He’d dropped his defenses and revealed the truth. “Because you want them scared of me?”

Matthias nodded. “I want them to pass the word that you aren’t someone to fuck with. And that won’t happen—”

“Unless I am.”

He nodded again. “If they see they can rattle you, take you…” His eyes traveled over her face. “There won’t be anything to stop others from trying.”